What is a Cultural District?
A thriving creative sector is usually among a community’s most powerful economic development assets and one that contributes greatly to the overall well-being of residents and visitors alike. Cultural districts help local arts, humanities, and science organizations improve the quality and range of their public programs so that more local families can benefit from them. They enhance the experience for visitors and thus attract more tourists and tax revenue. And they attract artists, cultural organizations, and entrepreneurs of all kinds, which often enhances property values and makes communities more attractive.
The Downtown Amherst Business Improvement District represents the Amherst Center Cultural District and holds the contract with the Town of Amherst to fulfill those responsibilities including maintaining the ACCD website, hosting events, and managing communications.
Whether you love nature, history, culinary or the arts, Amherst offers each in abundance.
Amherst Center Cultural District
The Massachusetts Cultural Council designated Amherst Town Center as a Cultural District in 2016 in recognition of the concentration and vitality of its artistic and cultural resources.
Our goals are to:
· Demonstrate the values that arts and culture bring to a community.
· Promote cultural programs for all ages as well as he activation and values of diverse culture
· Attract visitors to Amherst as a Cultural District.
· Cultivate the downtown creative economy.
Massachusetts Center Cultural Council
In recognition of the importance of arts and culture, an act of the Massachusetts state legislature in 2010 created a process to designate local “cultural districts” throughout our commonwealth. With applications initiated by local communities, these areas are reviewed and determined under guidelines of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Massachusetts Center Cultural Council Steering Committee
Ann Tweedy, Marketing Director, Amherst Business Improvement District (President)
Eric Broudy, Owner, A3 Gallery (Vice President)
Jane Wald, Executive Director, Emily Dickinson Museum (Secretary)
Gabrielle Gould, Executive Director, Amherst Business Improvement District (Treasurer)
Gigi Barnhill, Chair, Amherst Cultural Council (At Large)
Sharon Sharry, Library Director, Jones Library
Robin Thompson, Amherst Cultural Council Representative
Bill Kaizen, Chair of the Amherst Public Art Commission
Rasif Rafiq, Owner, Bistro 63
George Myers, General Manager, Amherst Cinema
Jim Wald, Trustee, Amherst Historical Society
Danielle Amodeo, Public Programs and Marketing Specialist, Mead Art Museum
Claudia Pazmany, Executive Director, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
Catalina Arrubla, Director, MULTI-ARTS